Dispenser and refrigerator having the same

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator is provided in which, when a structure that secures space to place a container is provided in a dispenser, an object can be dispensed from the dispenser regardless of the position of the structure. The dispenser includes a dispensing port in which an object is dispensed, a switch installed in the dispensing port to dispense the object, a support pivotally installed in the dispensing port and unfoldable from a folded state to place various vessels thereon, and an access portion of the support providing access to the switch to activate the switch in the folded state of the support. The access portion may be a cut-off portion such that the switch is inserted into the support to be exposed or an auxiliary switch to transmit force to the switch when the object is dispensed to indirectly activate the switch. Moreover, the support may directly access the switch.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No.2006-47712, filed on May 26, 2006, in the Korean Intellectual PropertyOffice, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly,to a refrigerator having a dispenser to allow a user to take water orice out of the refrigerator without opening a door.

2. Description of the Related Art

A refrigerator is an apparatus to supply chilled air generated by arefrigerating cycle to a compartment to maintain the freshness ofvarious food for a long time. Generally, a refrigerator includes a mainbody having a compartment to accommodate food and a door pivotallyattached to the main body to open and close the compartment. Recently,refrigerators have included a dispenser integrated with the door toallow a user to conveniently obtain water or ice from the refrigeratorwithout opening the door and to prevent the chilled air in thecompartment from being lost due to frequent opening and closing of thedoor.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventional refrigeratorhaving a dispenser. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the dispenser 10 of theconventional refrigerator includes a dispensing port 11 sunk into a door1 such that a container C to accommodate an object to be dispensed isplaced in and removed from the dispensing port 11 for the dispensing ofwater or ice, and an actuating lever 12 installed in the dispensing port11. In the conventional refrigerator, since the dispensing port 11 ofthe dispenser is deep enough to allow the container. C to be placedtherein, the rear side of the door 1, such as portion A in FIG. 1,considerably protrudes toward a compartment 2, resulting in reducedaccommodating space in the compartment 2 adjacent to the dispenser 10.In consideration of the above-mentioned problem, if the depth of thedispensing port 11 is reduced, a space in which the container C isplaced may not be guaranteed to fit the container C, thusinconveniencing a user.

On the other hand, Korean Patent Publication No. 2005-26740 discloses arefrigerator including a dispenser door that opens and closes adispenser case. In the refrigerator, when the dispenser door is opened,a container to accommodate water is placed on a surface of the dispenserdoor facing a dispenser. By using the dispenser door as disclosed inKorean Pat. Pub. No. 2005-26740, although the dispenser case does notsecure space sufficient enough to place the container within the case,since the container can be placed on the surface of the opened dispenserdoor, the above-mentioned problem can be somewhat solved. However, inorder to receive an object from the dispenser, since the dispenser doormust be opened, convenience to the user deteriorates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentionedproblems, and an aspect of the invention is to provide a refrigerator inwhich a space in which a container is placed when using a dispenser issecured and a rear side of a door of the refrigerator is protruded intoa compartment to a minimal degree.

It is another aspect of the invention to provide a refrigerator inwhich, when a structure to secure a space in which a container is placedis provided in a dispenser, an object can be dispensed from thedispenser without a limit of a position of the structure.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forthin part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparentfrom the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides arefrigerator including a dispenser allowing an object to be dispensedwithout opening a door by a user, including a dispensing port providingan outlet through which the object is dispensed, an actuating switchinstalled in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switchto dispense the object; a support pivotally installed in the dispensingport and movable from folded state of being folded into the dispensingport to an unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within thedispensing port, so as to place various vessels thereon, and an accessportion of the support providing access to the actuating switch toactivate the actuating switch by the user in the folded state of thesupport, even when the support is folded into the dispensing port.

The access portion of the support is a cut-off portion such that theactuating switch is inserted into the cut-off portion of the support tobe exposed when the support is in the folded state.

The access portion of the support is an auxiliary switch to transmit aforce applied by the user to the actuating switch when the object isdispensed to indirectly activate the actuating switch.

The auxiliary switch includes an actuating member moved toward theactuating switch due to an external force applied when the object isdispensed to activate the actuating switch, and an elastic memberelastically returning the actuating member to an original position. Anend of the actuating member protrudes further forward than a front sideof the support.

The support is able to be pivoted toward and actuate the actuatingswitch in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.

The dispenser further includes a return device provided at a rear sideof the support to return the support to an original position. The returndevice includes a supporting member contacting the rear side of thesupport and an elastic member elastically biasing the supporting memberto the support.

A front side of the support is curved to naturally contact an outersurface of a circular vessel when the object is being dispensed.

The dispenser further includes a water tray installed lower than thesupport to collect remnant generated when the object is being dispensed,the water tray protruding further forward than a front side of thesupport when the support is in the folded state of being folded into thedispensing port.

A rear side of the support includes a collecting recess to collectremaining water dropped down on the rear side of the support in theunfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within the dispensingport and when the object is dispensed.

The refrigerator further includes an insulator provided in the supportto prevent chilled air from being lost through the dispensing port.

The refrigerator may include a main body having an internal compartmentand a chilled air generating portion disposed within the main body togenerate chilled air held within the compartment.

The support further includes a locking groove provided at a rear lowerside of the support to maintain the support in an unfolded state ofbeing pivotally folded away from within the dispensing port.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can beachieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator to allowan object to be is dispensed without opening a door by a user, thedispenser including a dispensing port providing access for a vessel toaccommodate an object when the object is dispensed, an actuating switchinstalled in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switchto dispense the object, a support pivotable in an upward direction and adownward direction, the support pivotally attached to a lower end of thedispensing port to open and close the dispensing port; and an accessportion of the support providing access to the actuating switch by theuser when the support is in a state in which the support is pivoted inan upward direction, thus allowing the user access to the actuatingswitch to activate the actuating switch when the support closes thedispensing port.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can beachieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator, includinga dispensing outlet, an actuating switch capable of being actuated todispense an object through the dispensing outlet, a pivotable supportcapable of supporting a vessel for receipt of the object through thedispensing outlet pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispenser,and an actuating switch access portion of the pivotable supportproviding access to the actuating switch. When the pivotable support isin a substantially vertical position, the actuating switch accessportion provides access by the vessel to the actuating switch.

Further, the actuating switch access portion of the pivotable supportmay be a cut-away portion of the support. The actuating switch accessportion of the support may be an auxiliary switch in communication withthe actuating switch. The actuating switch access portion of the supportmay be a cut-away portion of a rear side of the support, the cut-awayportion of the rear side of the support being in communication with theactuating switch when the support is in the substantially verticalposition.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention can beachieved by providing a dispenser installed to a refrigerator, includinga dispensing port, an actuating switch situated within the dispensingport and capable of being actuated to dispense an object, and apivotable support capable of supporting a vessel for receipt of theobject pivotally attached to a lower end of the dispenser, the pivotablesupport being pivotable from a substantially vertical position withinthe dispensing port to a substantially horizontal position, thepivotable support having a curved front surface curved to contact anouter surface of a circular vessel.

The dispenser may include a collecting recess disposed within a rearsurface of the support to collect the object when the object isdispensed.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forthin part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obviousfrom the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent and more readily appreciated from the following description ofthe embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view illustrating a conventional refrigeratorin which a dispenser is installed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of therefrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view illustrating a configuration of therefrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the dispenser extracted fromFIG. 2 in a state where a support is pivoted forward;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a configuration of the dispenserof the refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a configuration of the dispenserof the refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentinvention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elementsthroughout. The embodiments are described below to explain the presentinvention by referring to the figures.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an external appearance of arefrigerator according to a first embodiment of the present invention,FIG. 3 is a side sectional view illustrating a configuration of therefrigerator according to the first embodiment of the present invention,and FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a dispenser extracted fromFIG. 2 in which a support is pivoted forward.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the refrigerator according to theembodiment of the present invention includes a main body 20 having acompartment 21 to keep food in custody and at least one door 30pivotally attached to the main body 20, which opens and closes toprovide access to the compartment 21. The main body 20 includes an outershell 22 to form an external surface of the main body 20 and an innershell 23 spaced apart from the outer shell 22 to form the compartmenttherein. Between the outer shell 22 and the inner shell 23, arefrigerator insulator 24 is foamed to prevent chilled air from beinglost to the outside of the refrigerator.

The compartment 21 is partitioned into a right side and a left side byan intermediate partition 25, such that the right side forms arefrigerator compartment 21 a to accommodate and refrigerate food andthe left side forms a freezer compartment 21 b to accommodate and freezefood. At a rear side of the compartment 21 is a chilled air generatingroom 26, from which chilled air to be supplied to the compartment 21 isprovided. In the chilled air generating room 26, an evaporator 27 togenerate the chilled air by heat-exchange with ambient air is installed,and a circulation fan 28 to supply the chilled air to the compartment 21is installed next to the evaporator 27.

In a front side of the door 30, a dispenser 100 is installed to dispensean object, such as water or ice, without a user having to open the door30. Although not depicted in the drawings, a water supply pipe to guidewater supplied from a water source to the dispenser 100 is installed inthe door 30. In the freezer compartment 21 b, an ice feeder to feed iceto the dispenser 100 is installed. The ice feeder includes an ice-makingunit 41 to make ice, an ice cube tray 42 disposed lower than theice-making unit 41 to accommodate ice cubes made in the ice-making unit41, a delivery unit 43 to deliver ice cubes accommodated in the ice cubetray 42, and a crushing unit 44 to crush ice cubes delivered by thedelivery unit 43 into ice pieces.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser 100 includes a dispensingport 110 having an outlet 111 through which an object is discharged, anactuating switch 120 installed to the dispensing port 110 for providingthe discharge of the object, a support 130 pivotally installed in thedispensing port 110 able to be folded inward in the dispensing port 110and to be unfolded down such that various vessels may be placed thereon,and a water tray 160 installed at a lower side of the support to collectremnant generated when the object is dispensed. When the object isdispensed, a container C to accommodate the object is placed in thedispensing port 110.

The support 130 is installed to be pivoted about a hinge shaft 131installed at a lower end of the dispensing port 110 and to be pivotedforward from the door 30 from a state of being folded into thedispensing port 110 such that a rear side 132 of the support 130 becomesapproximately horizontal, thereby allowing various cups or vessels to beplaced on the rear side 132 of the support 130.

As such, since the support 130 is provided, the dispensing port 110 isconfigured to accommodate the folded support 130 and to additionallyhave a space sufficient for access from the outlet 111. Thus, since arear side of the door 30 does not protrude toward the compartment 21 inorder to form a space where a vessel may be placed, it is possible toprevent the decrease of an accommodating space in the compartment 21.Moreover, since, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a door guard 32 toaccommodate articles such as a milk bottle, a water bottle, or the likecan be installed in a rear side 31 of the door at a rear side of thedispenser 100, the interior of the compartment 21 can be effectivelyused.

Particularly, in the present invention, the support 130 includes anaccess portion of the support or an access device 140 to allow a user todirectly or indirectly approach the actuating switch 120 to activate theactuating switch 120, even when the support 130 is folded into thedispensing port 110. The access device 140 allows the user to activatethe actuating switch 120 when the support 130 is not withdrawn from thedispensing port 110 so that the dispenser 100 can be conveniently usedwithout having to pivot the support 130 when dispensing the object.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the access device 140, that is, a cut-offportion 141 formed in the support 130. The cut-off portion 141 is formedat a corresponding position and with a shape corresponding to theactuating switch 120, such that the actuating switch 120 is insertedinto the cut-off portion 141 and is exposed when the support 130 isfolded into the dispensing port 110. The cut-off portion 141 is a spacedefined within a portion of the support 130 in order to provide accessto the actuating switch 120 when the support 130 is in a folded state.Here, the actuating switch has a sufficient height to pass through thecut-off portion 141 in order to be exposed. Then, the user may pivot thesupport 130 forward to access the actuating switch 120 to actuate theactuating switch 120 without opening the dispensing port 110.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a front side 133 of the support 130 may have acurved surface 133 a such that an outer surface of a circular vesselnaturally contacts the front side 133, and the water tray 160 disposedlower than the support 130 is preferably protruded more forward than thefront side 133 of the support 130 when the support 130 is folded intothe dispensing port 110. As such, that the water tray 160 that isprotruded more forward than the front side 133 of the support 130 isable to effectively collect remnants when the object is dispensed infront of the support 130 folded into the dispensing port 110. Further,the protruding water tray 160 supports the support 130 when the support130, as illustrated in FIG. 4, is pivoted and in a horizontal state.

Moreover, a dispenser insulator 134 to prevent the chilled air frombeing lost through the dispensing port 110 of the dispenser 100 ispreferably provided within the support 130. Thus, it is possible toemploy a thin, inner insulator 33 provided at the rear side of thedispenser 100 in the door 30 without deteriorating the insulation effectso that the door 30 can be made thinner and the accommodating space ofthe compartment 21 can be more effectively used.

Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 4, it is preferred that at least onecollecting recess 132 a is formed in the rear side 132 of the support130. When the support 130 is pivoted to the horizontal state to provideaccess for the object to be dispensed, water dropped down on the rearside 132 of the support 130 is gathered in the collecting recess 132 ato prevent the water on the rear side 132 of the support 130 fromdropping down on an indoor floor. In this case, the water collected inthe collecting recess 132 a flows down and is collected into the watertray 160 when the support 130 is folded into the dispensing port 110again.

A locking groove 101 is provided at a rear lower side of the support 130to maintain the support 130 in the horizontal state by locking an end ofthe support 130 when the support 130 is pivoted to place a vesselthereon.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of a dispenserof a refrigerator according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention. Hereinafter, only features peculiar to this embodiment willbe described and same reference numerals are assigned to componentssimilar to those in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the support 130 has an auxiliary switch 142 asan access device 140. The auxiliary switch 142 transmits a force appliedby a user when dispensing the object to the actuating switch 120 suchthat the actuating switch 120 can be indirectly actuated. The auxiliaryswitch 142 includes an actuating member 142 a which moves toward theactuating switch 120 due to an external force applied when dispensingthe object to activate the actuating switch 120, and an elastic member142 b to elastically return the actuating member 142 a to its originalposition.

In this case, an end of the actuating member 142 a protrudes furtherforward than the front side 133 of the support 130 and the opposite endthereof contacts the actuating switch 120. By doing so, since pressingthe actuating member 142 a can activate the actuating switch 120, theobject can be dispensed without withdrawing the support 130 from thedispensing port 110.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the configuration of a dispenserof a refrigerator according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the support 130 serves as the accessdevice 140, and the support 130 is installed to pivot toward theactuating switch 120 when at a state of being folded into the dispensingport 110. Thus, since the user presses the support 130 to activate theactuating switch 120, the object can be dispensed without withdrawingthe support 130 from the dispensing port 110. In this case, a returndevice 150 is provided at a rear side of the support 130, in order toreturn the support 130 to the original position of the support 130,prior to being depressed, when external force on the support 130 isremoved. The return device 150 is provided at a rear side 132 of thesupport 130. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the return device 150 may includea supporting member 151 to contact the rear side 132 of the support 130and an elastic member 152 to elastically bias the supporting member 151to the support 130.

The access device or access portion 140 of the support 130 in FIG. 6includes a cut-away portion on the rear side 132 of the support. Thecut-away portion is in communication with the actuating switch 120 whenthe support 130 is in a substantially vertical position.

As described above, the present invention includes an access device inwhich a user can access the actuating switch to activate the actuatingswitch when the support on which a vessel is placed is folded into thedispensing port of the dispenser, so that an object can be convenientlydispensed when the support is unfolded or folded.

Moreover, according to the present invention, since the support on whicha vessel is placed is provided, it minimizes the space that a rear sideof a refrigerator door protrudes inward into the compartment so as toallow for the space required to place a vessel. Therefore, theaccommodating space in the compartment can be more effectively used.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined inthe claims and their equivalents.

1. A refrigerator including a door, comprising: a dispenser allowing anobject to be dispensed, comprising: a dispensing port providing anoutlet through which the object is dispensed; an actuating switchinstalled in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switchto dispense the object; a support pivotally installed in the dispensingport and movable from a folded state of being folded into the dispensingport to an unfolded state of being pivotally folded away from within thedispensing port; and an access portion of the support providing accessto the actuating switch to activate the actuating switch by the user inthe folded state of the support.
 2. The refrigerator according to claim1, wherein the access portion of the support is a cut-off portion suchthat the actuating switch is inserted into the cut-off portion of thesupport to be exposed when the support is in the folded state.
 3. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the access portion of thesupport is an auxiliary switch to transmit a force applied by the userto the actuating switch when the object is dispensed to indirectlyactivate the actuating switch.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3,wherein the auxiliary switch comprises: an actuating member moved towardthe actuating switch due to an external force applied when the object isdispensed to activate the actuating switch; and an elastic memberelastically returning the actuating member to an original position. 5.The refrigerator according to claim 4, wherein an end of the actuatingmember protrudes further forward than a front side of the support. 6.The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the support is able to bepivoted toward and actuate the actuating switch in the folded state ofbeing folded into the dispensing port.
 7. The refrigerator according toclaim 6, wherein the dispenser further comprises a return deviceprovided at a rear side of the support to return the support to anoriginal position.
 8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein thereturn device includes a supporting member contacting the rear side ofthe support and an elastic member elastically biasing the supportingmember to the support.
 9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, whereina front side of the support is curved to naturally contact an outersurface of a circular vessel when the object is being dispensed.
 10. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the dispenser furthercomprises a water tray installed lower than the support to collectremnant generated when the object is being dispensed, the water trayprotruding further forward than a front side of the support when thesupport is in the folded state of being folded into the dispensing port.11. The refrigerator according to claim 10, wherein a rear side of thesupport comprises a collecting recess to collect remaining water droppeddown on the rear side of the support in the unfolded state of beingpivotally folded away from within the dispensing port when the object isdispensed.
 12. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprisingan insulator provided in the support to prevent chilled air from beinglost through the dispensing port.
 13. A dispenser installed to arefrigerator to allow an object to be dispensed, the dispensercomprising: a dispensing port providing access for a vessel toaccommodate an object when the object is dispensed; an actuating switchinstalled in the dispensing port allowing a user to actuate the switchto dispense the object; a support pivotable in an upward direction and adownward direction, the support pivotally attached to a lower end of thedispensing port; and an access portion of the support providing accessto the actuating switch by the user when the support is in a state inwhich the support is pivoted in an upward direction.
 14. A dispenserinstalled to a refrigerator, comprising: a dispensing port; an actuatingswitch situated within the dispensing port and capable of being actuatedto dispense an object; and a pivotable support capable of supporting avessel for receipt of the object pivotally attached to a lower end ofthe dispenser, the pivotable support being pivotable from asubstantially vertical position within the dispensing port to asubstantially horizontal position, the pivotable support having a curvedfront surface curved to contact an outer surface of a circular vessel.15. The dispenser according to claim 14, further comprising a collectingrecess disposed within a rear surface of the support to collect theobject when the object is dispensed.